Fluid transport properties of rock fractures at high pressure and temperature. Progress report, July 1, 1976--June 30, 1977

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7308912· OSTI ID:7308912

Engelder, T; Scholz, C

Initial stages of a study on the fluid transport properties of rock at high pressure and temperature are reported. Emphasis is placed on the mechanical hydraulic interactions, in an attempt to clarify the process of fracture closure and its influence on fracture permeability. To determine the fluid transport properties of a fracture, the effect of surface roughness, geometry, and filling on fracture permeability was investigated. Permeability of these fractures was measured at various effective normal stresses at room temperature. The law of effective stress appears valid for fractures without filling but permeability of filled fractures is more sensitive to confining pressure than pore pressure. Permeability of smooth surfaces varied 5 to 0.5 darcys over a range of effective stresses from 0 to 3000 bars. Filled fractures were an order of magnitude more permeable.

• Research Organization: Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (USA). Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-S-02-4054
• OSTI ID: 7308912
• Report Number(s): COO-4054-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
152002* -- Geothermal Data & Theory-- Properties of Minerals & Rocks
COMMINUTION
CONFIGURATION
FAILURES
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
Geothermal Legacy
HIGH PRESSURE
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
HYDRAULICS
MECHANICS
MEDIUM PRESSURE
PERMEABILITY
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
ROCKS
ROUGHNESS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
VERY HIGH PRESSURE